Team Munzee Tuezday: Chris Meza

Here at Munzee we’re constantly encouraging our players to meet and greet and build the personal relationships that make this game so great. Our team continues to grow and we’re excited with the addition of our new Senior Developer, Chris Meza.

Name and Title:
Chris ‘Laygo’ Meza – Senior Developer (only because they wouldn’t let me use ‘Supreme Chancellor of Them 1s & 0s’)

Where are you from?
I’m an Army brat as my Father served in the military for 20yrs, so I have lived where ever my Dad was stationed.. I was born in Columbus, GA (Fort Benning), but I spent most of my childhood in Houston, TX after my Father retired. As such, I grew up an Oilers/Rockets/Astros fan & now the Texans, but really I have two favorite teams: any team from Houston and any team playing Dallas. 😉

Tell us about yourself:
Well, I’m an avid fan of food and the exchange of Oxygen for Carbon Dioxide. Seriously though, I’m a foodie, like eating good food. Expensive and hoity-toity with rich ambiance doesn’t do much for me. The food has to be good first & foremost. My favorite restaurants are all holes in the walls. My favorite restaurant all time is Bagheri’s in Denton, TX. I tend to drive 30 mins or more for my favorite foods. I’m a huge fan of Vietnamese cuisine. I can eat Pho every day & have on several occasions eaten it for lunch & dinner.

I also play guitar in a psychedelic rock tribute band since 2009. We even won Dallas Observer’s Cover Band of the Year in 2013 (they didn’t have a tribute band category). I can hear you ask: what’s the difference between a ‘cover band’ vs a ‘tribute band’. That can easily described as a Kiss cover band is 4 guys on stage playing Kiss music. A Kiss tribute band is 4 guys in full costume and makeup, playing Kiss music, & replicating the stage show as best they can. We wear costumes!

How long have you worked for Munzee?
Almost 2 months, but in a way, a lot longer than that. Rob has told the story on the podcast how back in 2012 during a double points weekend, we convinced Scott to join us Munzeeing in the area. Rob wasn’t yet involved in the company & Scott was still working a full time job. Rob had just came back from playing out in California where one sign could easily contain 20 munzees. So, we started dogpiling stickers in a Costco parking lot & Scott was shocked how it was all going down. The next day, he implemented the 50′ rule for neighboring munzees. You’re welcome.

What do you enjoy most about Munzee?
Honestly, being a programmer, it’s mostly a sedentary life of sitting around, not being physically active. I like how it gets you outdoors and active. Since becoming active again playing Munzee in the last month, I’ve walked many miles when I was just tooooo busy at my last job. Being a Munzee employee has opened way more opportunities with more free time and lots of “beta testing” as I work on 3.0!

What are some of your other hobbies?
As I said, I eat food, drink water, breathe Oxygen, and play in a band. Now, I have been playing a lot more Munzee after about a 18month haitus (check my Statzee! Player name: Laygo). I also like my fast/old cars. I’ve got a 2014 Cadillac CTS-V, an 1996 Impala SS, a 1965 VW Bug, & a 1967 VW Karmann Ghia. I just test drove a Tesla sedan today & I am really, REALLY intrigued. Can’t afford it, but man was it cool. I have a rather large shoe collection for a guy. I also tend to play some computer games. I have a 15yo pet cat named Princess Nubina, aka Nubby. She has a short nub of a tail she was born with. We got her right around when Star Wars: Phantom Menace came out, so was thinking about Pricess Amidala when she was named, but she is a Princess when she sits with her crossed paws. I’m probably a bigger Houston Rockets fan than normal. The famed Red Rowdies have dubbed me Dallas Rowdy & I’m able to sit with them anytime I can get to a game in Houston or they come up to Dallas.